“Princess please you must attend tonight’s festivities; in proper dress.”

She smiles at Cesario. “Oh please calm down will you? What is he going to do? Lock me in the tower?” Ellie giggled at the crazy thought.

“He is the king after all. Maybe you deserve some time in the tower.” Cesario admired her spirit, but feared the girl was too headstrong at times, which could get her into trouble.

She sat on the purple gem covered silk comforter and clasped her wrists together in mock shame, “Then bring on the shackles.” ‘I am already caged. There is not much more he can take from me.’ She thought silently.

“Ha Ha very funny princess.” Cesario rolled his eyes. She to him was still a child in many ways.
“Aren’t I hysterical?” She laughed throwing her hands in the air and lying back, she watched her golden chandelier twinkle and wink above her.
A few minutes later after a long sigh, she saw Cesario in her peripheral vision. “Princess, please be serious, come along now, lest you keep your ladies waiting any longer.”
She groaned throwing a pillow over her pillow in disgust.

Cesario threw out a line she was long used to, “you are a princess. You have responsibilities.”
She let out a long feeling sigh and started to her ladies who waited anxiously her dressing room for her to arrive. Carrie, Ella, and Clarissa her ladies of course bowed to her when she walked in and hastily began their work. She was put into a topaz blue diamond embezzled dress, which complimented her glittering blue eyes and slender figure. She let in a shaky breath as they tightened her corset, these stupid things made her hardly able to breath. It’s as if the corset was invented just to make her realize how trapped she really was. She couldn’t even pick out her own clothes. After she was dressed she was to go have her hair done, then she would be rushed out.

She sat through robotic hours of her hair being done and her face being painted. As Ella did her face she thought to her earlier conversation with her father. Lately it seemed her father was concerned with one thing and one thing only, her being in a “profitable match.”


He had approached her as she was reading in the library. “Eleanora,” he called storming into the library.

Ellie knew that tone. He was angry and she could probably give a bull’s eye shot about what he seemed to be fuming over.

“Yes father?” She called closing her book and placing it lightly on her lap.

“I am at a loss of words. Would you explain to me why all suitors that have come to the castle, having been deemed acceptable by me, your father none the less, have left angry and offended?” He stood over warningly.

“It would seem we have different tastes,” she replied jutting her chin high, “Or maybe they were offended by the lack of beauty or small size of the kingdom,” she gestured the grandeur of the glittering room, “Is it then my fault if they believe the kingdom not good enough for their stuck up tastes?”
“Or possibly they had found wealthier women to make their wives? And they left in a hurry to reach their new so called “beloveds?”

“Do not toy with me Eleanora.”

Ellie let out a long exasperated sigh. She was used to her father’s lack of humor. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She rolled her eyes.
“You know what is happening within the walls of this kingdom. You must marry to preserve the line,” he continued, “Now with Edmund’s passing you are the only crown air to the throne.”

She turned her face away closing her eyes at the painful memories that came with thinking of her once much loved brother Edmund. She glared at her father, “Yes King Evander.” She mutinously turned away.

“Cesario,” he called.

“Yes my king.”

“Please escort Princess Eleanora to her rooms so she may prepare for the ball tonight.” Ellie stood, curtseyed, and walked to the library doors where Cesario stood waiting.

The high pitched sound of the bell announcing the first guests had arrived jerked her from her thoughts.

Clarissa was just finishing the curling and interwoven braiding of her now jewel covered head. She stood biting her lip and waiting for sounds of the princess’s approval.

Ellie gazed at the perfect being in the mirror. The full lips, blonde shiny hair, slender figure, and creamy ivory skin made it seem as though godly, but if one took a second look, its eyes would tell a different story. The wide-eyed doe look they held about them made the being seem scared, and sullen.

Ellie tore her eyes from the mirror. ‘Who is she?’ she thought sadly.
She turned in her seat. Plastering a smile on her face she turned to Clarissa, “It’s lovely, thank you.”
Clarissa curtseyed, her face beaming, “Thank you princess, I’m so glad you like it!”
Her maids started to fawn over how beautiful she looked and how all her suitors would swoon. She politely thanked them when suddenly Carrie chimed in, “Best you be off princess. Your guests are arriving.”
She smiled at Carrie, she was always her favorite.
As she exited her room she of course found Cesario waiting for her.
“Making sure I don’t make a run for it?” she smirked.
“I’m just escorting a beautiful princess to her ball.”
“Right.” She scoffed.
They approached the guards on either side of the double doors. Ellie squeezed Cesario’s arm tighter. She knew as soon as those doors opened she would have hundreds of eyes on her, hundreds of judging snobby lords and ladies of the court, officers, and royals of neighboring nations.
“Are you ready?” Cesario whispered as the doors swung open.
She took a deep breath and surfaced a smile to her face.